Glossolalia

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International Society of Contemporary Music (ISCM)/eague of Composer's National Award: 2000

Glossolalia: Speech in an imaginary language, sometimes occurring in a trance state or during an episode of religious ecstacy. Speaking in tongues.

"Why Glossolalia?", I was asked in a letter by the great Italian composer, Luciano Berio, who had just reviewed the work, "it has a specific meaning!" The answer: because I feel that the process of composition for a young composer is very much parallel to the specific meaning of glossolalia. I am freely becoming acquainted with a new, imaginary language - my own individual musical voice - which I realize, moreover, is comprised of a lifetime of filtered images and models of the music that I most respect. I like what I know and I know what I like. Though not in a trance state - quite the opposite actually - I subconsciously draw from these many images and models while composing and when I acknowledge this, I feel indebted to those whose music has born influence. So it is from this awareness that the title originated.